Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer have been named as the first two players to be included in the Premier League Hall of Fame and now the race is on to join them in the elite list.

Premier League chiefs have named a 23-man shortlist to be included in the list of greatest players to have graced English football's top division since the inception of the competition in 1992.

Appearing on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Henry took on the task of picking the six players who should be added to the Hall of Fame list and he had no doubt that former Manchester United and Ireland captain Keane had to be included.

"I get annoyed when people talk about Roy Keane and about his tackles, that he was hard," began Henry. "Yes, he was, yes he was. He could tackle people as well all know, but what a player he was. He could pass the ball, he could score goals.

"I was in the stand when he scored that header to bring his team back into the Champions League semi-final (against Juventus in 1999) and I was like wow.

"The way he brought his team back into the game. The way he battled in midfield. The way he could galvanise everyone and make them play better by just who he was.

"I won't say what he was saying on the field at times to some of his team-mates, but I was like wow... I understand why they listen. Also because he was a hell of a player. He could play."

Jamie Carragher also made his pick for the Hall of Fame and chose his former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard ahead of United great Paul Scholes and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.

"There is no player in the history of the Premier League who were in the PFA Team of the Year more than Steven Gerrard," said Carragher. "That shows what the players who played against him thought of him.

"I've always said the man sat across from me (Henry) is the best player to play in the Premier League, but I think Steven Gerrard is the best all-round player.

"In terms of all-round quality and someone who could play all over the pitch, Stevie gets the nod for me."

The Premier League will select the next half a dozen player for their Hall of Fame from this shortlist:

Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Vieira, Ian Wright.